


Simple Things

by MrMich



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Modern Era, That's really all it is, aromantic Davenport, but still with magic and dwarves and shit, it's basically the same as the podcast but with cars and electricity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 04:17:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17216825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrMich/pseuds/MrMich
Summary: Merle's been pining over Davenport for four years. Taako and Magnus finally make him do something about it.





	Simple Things

“I'm telling you Merle, he also likes you!” Magnus pulled his beanie over his eyes, in part due to exaggerated frustration but also because he didn’t want to watch Merle pacing around the room, mooning over Davenport again, especially in their shared apartment, from where there would be no escape.

“Hell yeah, compadre,” Taako chimed in from where he was painting his nails while bathing in the sun that spilled over the loveseat from the apartment’s massive windows. “Pretty sure he’s been in love with you for a while—he's just way less pathetic about it than you are.” He finished the first layer and held out his hand to scrutinize it, not fully paying attention to Merle’s latest crisis.

Merle stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed. “How do I know you two aren’t trying to trick me into embarrassing myself?”

Magnus gasped, exaggeratedly offended, and moved over to Merle to drape an arm over him. “C’mon Merle, we’re buddies! Do you really think that we would do that to you?”

Merle sent a pointed glance Taako’s way. Magnus paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Okay, fair.”

Taako just laughed. “While that would be fuckin’ hilarious, and trust Taako on this one, I am imagining _exactly_ how it would go down and it is _qual-i-tee_ entertainment, this ain’t no joke. Cap’nport has—and eugh, I can’t believe I’m saying this gross shit—those mushy feelings for you.”

“Then why hasn’t he said anything!” Merle threw out his arms pointedly, narrowly missing connecting an elbow with Magnus’s side.

“Well buddy, two things.” Magnus held up a finger. “One, I’m pretty sure that he’s resigned himself to pining for the rest of his life,” He popped up a second finger. “and two, when we first met Dav, the second we got home you said—and I quote! ‘Holy Pan, he is the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.’ and you also have yet to do anything about it.” He folded his arms, unimpressed. “Merle, that was four years ago.”

“Okay, say that you’re right.” He ignored the _“We are!”_ from Taako. “It’s been four years! What do I even say to the guy?”

Magnus clapped his hands together. “Brainstorming time! We’re gonna find a way for you to ask him out, and you can’t chicken out on us.”

“Fine! Fine. I’ll do it, but only if we come up with a good plan.”

Taako jumped to his feet. “Yeah, dog! Matchmaking! Now that’s what I’m talking about!”

The three of them huddled together in the middle of the floor, arguing back and forth about the right ways to woo someone. Merle was very unimpressed with Magnus “Nice to mag you, I’m Meetnus” Burnsides and Taako “Our first date is at the Chug n’ Squeeze” Taaco, but the three of them eventually settled on a plan.

Merle pulled out his phone and dialed Davenport. He paced nervously around the room as it rang. Finally, after three rings, Davenport picked up.

“Hey Dav! Me, Taako, and Mags are going to hit up Chesney’s bar. Do you, uh, want to come with us? Just, you know, a low key night out. Nothing big. Just wanted to know if you wanted to come along.” He laughed nervously, making a ‘what do you want me to do!’ face at Taako and Magnus, who had their heads in their hands.

“Okay! Yeah, I’m, ah, _we_ are planning on heading over at nine-ish.” He paused. “Great! Yeah, see you there, buddy.”

He hung up the phone and smacked his forehead, turning to Magnus and Taako. “Buddy? What the hell was I thinking!”

Magnus looked at him sympathetically. “Yeah, that was preeetty awkward,” he said.

“But it sounds like Davenport didn’t disagree, which is the only that could have made this terrible plan actually fail,” said Taako. “Proof that we’re fucking amazing matchmakers, if I might add.”

Magnus fistbumped him and grinned. “Better go get ready for your date!”  


 

 

Later that evening, Merle walked out the door to Taako’s reminder of “Better not chicken out on us, old man!” and Magnus’s call of, “Have fun, but not _too_ much fun!”

Merle went over to his pickup, fumbling his keys in his nervousness. He slid into the driver’s seat and wrapped his hands around the wheel, just sitting there for a moment. He breathed in deeply, taking in the calming scent of Delia, the lavender plant that sat up on his dashboard.

“Okay,” he said to himself. “You can do this.”

He gently patted one of Delia’s leaves, turned the car on, and drove off towards Chesney’s.

Chesney’s was one of Merle’s favorite places. He’d been going there ever since it had opened during his teenage years, and it really hadn’t changed that much. Among the newer, more recently remodeled buildings, it looked like a relic from the past. When he had become friends with Taako and Magnus, he’d started bringing them around, and it became a place for the Tres Horny Boys and the occasional guest to hang out during the evening.

Merle pulled up to the parking lot behind the bar and parked, quickly getting out so he didn’t give himself time to stall. It was going to be fine. Just a friendly night out with Davenport.

He walked into Chesney’s, greeting some of the other regulars and the bartender—it was Killian that night, which was good because if everything went terribly, they were good enough friends that she wouldn’t bring it up again ever. She was a good pal like that.

He spotted Davenport at one of the seats at the bar and headed over to him.

“Hey, Dav!” He chuckled awkwardly. “Listen, uh, funny thing. Both Magnus and Taako got suddenly super sick and couldn’t make it tonight. Can you believe that? I mean, wow, what a funny coincidence!”

Davenport smiled. “Hey Merle. That’s too bad about Taako and Magnus, but it’s nice to see you.” He coughed. “Thanks for—uh, thanks for inviting me out.”

“Oh, of course! You know me. Always willing to take you out.” Merle realized what he had said and Killian disguised her chuckles as a laugh as he scrambled to correct himself. “I mean, I’m always willing to go out with you! Uh, pal.” Merle buried his head in his hands. “Aw, hell.”

He tried a few desperate minutes of small talk to buy himself some more time before he made good on the rest of the plan he, Magnus, and Taako had come up with, but they only managed to talk about how Mavis and Mookie were doing in school and in general, Killian and Carey’s upcoming wedding (Killian, who couldn’t resist talking about her fiancée, joined in), and Lucretia’s new promotion, before Merle realized that it wouldn’t get any less awkward or difficult to bring up.

He looked up at Davenport and took a deep breath. “Listen, Dav–” He was cut off as Davenport held a hand.

“You might want to sit on that thought for a moment, Merle.” He raised his voice loud enough that tables situated nearby could hear. “So Taako, Magnus. How are you guys feeling? Merle said that you were really sick, but I guess you two recovered pretty damn quickly.” His lips were pressed together, suppressing a smile.

Merle heard a quiet “Well, shit” in Magnus’s voice coming from behind them and turned around.

Taako lazily raised a hand in greeting while Magnus offered a sheepish grin.

Merle tried to be upset with them, but the truth was that he’d done the exact same thing with Taako when Magnus first went out with Julia two years before, so he just laughed. “You jerks! Can’t believe I didn’t realize you guys would follow me.”

“You really should have, amigo, it’s almost tradition by this point!” Taako wagged a finger at Merle.

Magnus chimed in his agreement. “Yeah! Not the tradition part, because you two only did that once, but the ‘you should have expected this’ part.”

Killian, who had barely been holding back her laughter, couldn’t help it at this point and burst out in snorting laughter. When she finally stopped laughing long enough to speak, she leaned over the bar counter. “Alright Taako, Magnus, you’ve been ratted out, so why don’t the two of you just head on out. Leave Merle and Davenport to their business.”

Magnus and Taako sat there looking at each other for a second before shrugging. Then Taako stood up and held up his hands defensively. “Hachi machi, people! If two sick guys can’t enjoy a last drink, a lone pleasure in the midst of complete misery, what is this world coming to?”

Magnus grinned and took up the charade. “But I suppose we’re not welcome here.” He shook his head in mock seriousness. “What kind of world do we live in if we can’t even get support from our dearest friends, right Taako?”

Taako nodded. “Too true, Mango. Better head out now while we still have the energy to drive our poor frail bodies back home.”

He slung an arm around Magnus’s shoulders and the two stumbled to the door, moaning and groaning like they were in pain, occasionally throwing a glance over their shoulders to see if anyone was paying attention, redoubling their efforts when they caught Merle’s eyes.

They didn’t quite make it all the way out before the two of them burst into laughter, and Davenport shook his head fondly at them as they disappeared.

Merle turned back to him, anxiety lessened a little because of the shenanigans of his best friends.

“I guess those two gave it up a bit,” he said wryly, “but I was wondering if you’d, ah, like to go out sometime? On a date,” he clarified.

Davenport paused for a moment and Merle felt like his heart was going to explode, but then Davenport smiled a little and said, “Yeah. I’d like that, Merle.”

Instantly, Merle deflated with relief and he slumped against the counter. “Oh, thank Pan.” He chuckled. “I don’t know what I would have done if you said no.”

“I wouldn’t have said no to you, Merle.”

Merle picked himself up off the counter. “Then I gotta ask, why didn’t _you_ say anything? If you wanted to be in a relationship, why didn’t you ask me on any dates?”

“It’s a little more complicated than this, and it’s a bit hard to explain, but you know that I’m somewhere on the aromantic spectrum.” Davenport sighed. “When I’m in a relationship with someone, it doesn’t always work because I can’t make myself love someone any more than I already do. And sometimes, it’s not enough and that relationship falls apart.”

He reached out for Merle’s hand and Merle reached back. Davenport’s hand was rough and warm in his grip.  
  
“I didn’t want to risk that happening with you, Merle. I’d rather have you in my life forever, even if just as a friend.” Davenport shrugged a little. “With those risks in mind, I couldn’t ask you out, though I knew that if you asked to me out on a date, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself say no.”

Merle groaned. “Are you telling me that if I had just stopped being a wimp and asked you out years ago, we coulda been dating already?”

Davenport looked like he wanted to laugh, but patted Merle’s shoulder. “Everyone needs to take their own time, Merle.”

Merle perked up. “Hey, Dav, I know a nice park not too far from here. It’s got real pretty lights hanging up in the trees. What do you say we blow this joint and head over there? Make this a real date?”

Davenport hopped off the barstool and started for the door. “What are you waiting for, then? Let’s go, Merle.” He smiled.

Merle sputtered. “Hey! Wait for me!” He jumped off the stool after a quick goodbye to Killian, who gave him a grin and a thumbs up, and hurried after Davenport.

Merle charged out the door to see Davenport standing there, waiting for him. Merle huffed. “Thought I was going to have to run after you! Don’t make me work so hard,” he complained. “I’m old!”

Davenport looked at Merle, amused. “I had to wait for you, Merle, you’re the one who knows the way to the park.”

“Huh.”

The two set off for the park, Merle guiding the way. They walked close together, their shoulders bumping.

After a moment, Merle reached out for Davenport’s hand and squeezed it gently. “This is okay, right?”

Davenport squeezed it back. “Yeah, Merle, it’s okay.”

The two chatted idly, comfortably, the rest of the way to the park, still holding hands. When they got there, they saw the trees, which lit up the entire park in a soft glow, making everything seem magical.

Merle looked at Davenport, his profile illuminated by the lights hanging from the trees, and thought that he couldn’t be happier than in that moment. Davenport noticed him looking and turned to him.

“Hey Merle?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. This is a really nice date.”

They wandered over to a bench and sat down, sides pressed close together. Davenport squeezed Merle’s hand and held it tight and Merle squeezed it right back.

The two sat there for a while, bathed in the warm glow of the lights, content as they leaned against each other and let themselves enjoy their time together.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a Candlenights secret sender gift for [readerofmuch](http://readerofmuch.tumblr.com) over on Tumblr!
> 
> And the "Nice to mag you I'm Meetnus" line is from someone's headcanon that I saw on Tumblr but I can't remember whose...


End file.
